This week, the University of California Santa Barbara's Daily Nexus gave an account of what happened to the younger Krom, and placed in the context of a wider problem at the school.

The Nexus reports what had become widely known: Krom had been drinking heavily in downtown Santa Barbara, took a cab home, bolted and hopped a fence without realizing that the other side was a cliff face. The paper says that toxicology reports showed his blood alcohol level to be .257 when he died, and says the police reports indicate that prolonged alcohol abuse had contributed to the death.

In the past 18 months, five UCSB students have died of alcohol or drug-related deaths, including Noah Krom. "I've never seen a year like that," Isla Vista foot patrol Lt. Olmstead told the Nexus, referring to the 08-09 school year.

"Only through the concerted efforts of all stakeholders -- the university, public policy leaders, public safety and those who profit by the student population such as property owners and those who run the bars and restaurants students patronize -- can a positive change in the UCSB/Isla Vista culture be advanced," Beth Krom said in an e-mail to the student newspaper.